Fan stand



April 5, 1966 M. A. ACCARINO ETAL 3,244,124

FAN STAND Filed Feb. 17. 1965 Ill/Ill INVENTORSZ MARIO A. ACCARINOWlLLlAM G. SCHWARZ HERMAN EUGENE SCHAFER THOMAS HEFFERNAN ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,244,124 FAN STAND Mario A. Accarino, ValleyStream, N.Y., William G.

Schwarz, Westfield, and Herman Eugene Schafer, Nutley, N.J., and TomHeffernan, Bronx, N.Y.; said Schwarz and Hetfernan assignors to GeneralIron Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Feb. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 433,433

4 Claims. (Cl. 108-12) This invention relates to stands for electricfans and more particularly relates to a fan stand which can support afan in such manner as to permit use of the stand as an article offurniture, and is capable of elevating the fan for use as, for example,near a window as an exhaust fan.

Large fans have become increasingly popular in recent years. Forexample, 20" fans have been made and sold and have been accepted by thepublic because of their capability of moving large volumes of air whileoperating in a reasonably quiet and economical manner. Such fans areoften positioned adjacent to windows to serve as an exhaust or intakefan. In fact, many stands are provided with relatively permanentmounting assemblies for installation at a window. However, removal andremounting of the stand from such window mounts is relativelyinconvenient. For this reason, the art has provided fan stands usuallyprovided with wheel assemblies so that the fan may be moved about to thedesired place of use. In some of the fan stands provision is made forelevating the fan to enable adjustment of the fan to window height whenit is desired to use the fan adjacent to window. Such fan stands have,however, been somewhat clumsy for the average user to adjust and havenot been useful as articles of furniture when using the fan within aroom.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide an improvedfan stand capable of suspendedly mounting a fan therein and by which theposition of the fan may be adjusted.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved fan standuseful as an article of furniture in one mode of operation and which canbe constructed in an economical and attractive manner.

In accordance with these objects, there is provided in a preferredembodiment of this invention a fan stand having a base assembly carryingcastors. A base frame extends vertically upwardly from each end of saidbase assembly.

A U-shaped fan frame is mounted between said base frames and ispivotally coupled to each base frame along the arms of said U-shaped fanframe. Bolt means are provided on the end of each arm. of the U-shapedfan frame to supportably engage the frame of a fan mounted therebetween.On the crosspiece of the fan frame there is provided a shelf. The shelfserves as a shelf surface when the arm is pivoted so that the fancarried by the frame extends vertically downwardly. A lock means isprovided to hold the fan in this position. Thus, during this mode ofoperation the stand is attractive and the shelf can be utilized as anarticle of furniture. When it is desired to use the fan in the elevatedposition the fan frame is rotated during which rotation the shelf servesas a counterweight to the fan making the pivoting easily accomplished.Lock means are provided to maintain the fan in the elevated position.

Having briefly described this invention, it will be described in greaterdetail in the following detailed description which may best beunderstood by reference to the a-ccompanyng drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fan stand showing the fan in thelower position.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the stand shown in FIG. 1 with the fan inthe elevated position, and

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the stop used in the stand shown inFIGS. 1 and 2.

In the figures there is shown a fan stand comprising a base assemblywhich consists of leg assemblies 10 and 12. Each leg assembly is formedof tubular stock having a horizontally disposed center section andintegrally formed, downwardly extending legs 14, which receive thecastor assemblies 16. The castor wheels 18 are preferably of largediameter so as to permit rolling of the stand across obstacles in aneasy manner. A base frame 20 and 22 is, respectively, coupled to the legassemblies 10, 12 by bolts 24. A base shelf 26 is positioned betweeneach base frame and coupled thereto by bolts 28. The base shelf ispreferably constructed of a tubular stock frame 30, carrying a shelf 32of wood. The base shelf serves the purpose of separating the base framesand serves as a structural member as well as serving as a useful shelfduring use.

Base frames 20 and 22 comprise a vertically extending U-shaped frameformed from tubular stock having spaced apart legs 34 in a horizontallydisposed center section 36. A fan frame 38 is formed of tubular stock inU- shape configuration, and is positioned between the base frames 20 and22. The legs 40 of the fan frame are pivotally coupled to the midpointsof section 36 of the base frames by pivot members 42. Thus, the fanframe is rotatably mounted within the base frames 20 and 22.

A shelf 44 is secured to the center section 46 of the fan frame. The fan48 is secured to the ends of the arms 40 of the fan frame by means ofbolts 50. The bolts are hand driven by means of hand wheels to engagethe fan frame which fan frames are normally provided with mounting holesat the midpoint of the frame.

For use in rooms the fan is positioned in the vertically downwardlyposition. A detent 50 is provided in the detent bar 52 to receive abullet stop 54 to lock the fan in the downward position. When so usedthe fan stand provides a shelf surface on which items such as vases 56may be placed. Thus, the stand is useful as an attractive piece offurniture and is inconspicuous in use.

To use the fan as an exhaust fan near the window the fan is pivotedcarrying the fan to the vertical upward position as shown in FIG. 2until the bullet stop 58 engages the detent 50, locking the fan inposition. During the pivoting the shelf 44 which may be constructed ofsolid wood, serves as a counterweight to the fan, rendering theelevation of the fan easy. In this position the bottom shelf may beutilized for placing of vases 56 and the like.

Each bullet stop consists of a threaded rod 60 having a formed lip 62 atone end thereof. A bullet stop 64 is slidably mounted within the rod 60and is biased by spring 66 so that shoulder 68 thereof engages the lip62. A cap 70 closes the rod and the stop may be inserted through a holedrilled in the tubular stock and clamped therein by nut 72.

This invention may variously be modified and embodied within the scopeof the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A fan stand comprising a base assembly, a U-shaped vertical extendingbase frame at each end of said base assembly, a fan frame, said fanframe comprising a U- sha-ped frame, said fan frame being pivotallycoupled to each of said base frames and rotatable therein, means forcoupling a fan between the ends of said fan frame, a shelf coupled tothe central section of said rfan frame and lock means operable to locksaid fan frame with the fan in the downwardly extending position andhaving said shelf disposed upwardly in a horizontal plane, and

lock means operable to lock said stand with the fan in the verticallyupwardly position, said shelf serving as a counterweight to said fanduring pivoting of said fans frame to move said fan from the downwardlydisposed to the upwardly disposed positions.

2. A stand in accordance with claim 1 which includes a detent positionedbetween the legs of one of said base frames, a spring loaded bullet stopmounted in said fan frame to engage said detent and to lock said fanframe to said base frame when the fan is in the downward position, asecond bullet stop mounted in said fan frame to lock said fan frame tosaid base frame when said fan is in the vertically upward position.

3. A stand in accordance with claim 2 in which said base assemblycomprises a first and second leg assembly, each of said leg assemblieshaving a horizontally disposed center section and integrally formed,downwardly extending legs at the ends thereof, a base shelf extendingbetween such leg assemblies, said base frames being coupled to said legassemblies and to said base shelf assembly 4. A stand in accordance withclaim 3 which includes a castor assembly received by each of saiddownwardly extending legs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 582,350 5/1897Hall, et a1. 108-17 603,715 5/1898 Westun l0817 2,311,668 2/1943IKennedy 248130 X 2,406,436 8/ 1946 Peter 108-17 2,591,669 4/1952Busknell et al. 248l30 X 2,711,208 6/1955 Garland 1081l XR 2,913,12211/1959 Lomas l08l7 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,114,653 4/ 1956 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. A FAN STAND COMPRISING A BASE ASSEMBLY, A U-SHAPED VERTICAL EXTENDINGBASE FRAME AT EACH END OF SAID BASE ASSEMBLY, A FAN FRAME, SAID FANFRAME COMPRISING A USHAPED FRAME, SAID FAN FRAME BEING PIVOTALLY COUPLEDTO EACH OF SAID BASE FRAMES AND ROTATABLE THEREIN, MEANS FOR COUPLING AFAN BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID FAN FRAME, A SHELF COUPLED TO THE CENTRALSECTION OF SAID FAN FRAME AND LOCK MEANS OPERABLE TO LOCK SAID FAN FRAMEWITH THE FAN IN THE DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING POSITION AND HAVING